GEORGE TOWN – The Penang government should put itself into the shoes of the fishermen affected by the Penang South Islands (PSI) project as the community’s livelihood depends on the sea, said Pertubuhan Badan Pemikir Melayu Pulau Pinang (Pemikir).
The civil society group’s chairman Datuk Muhamad Farid Saad said the state should consider reviewing the megaproject as reclamation works could take up to 10 years.
“Pemikir understands why full-time fishermen feel that their future and the future of the younger generation will fade due to the long-term effects of sea reclamation that will happen right before their eyes.
“If 10 years are taken for sea reclamation work, it means they have to bear the long-term effects that will last longer than 10 years,” he said, adding that he recently met the head of Sg Batu fishing unit, Zakaria Ismail.
Farid said the RM20,000 compensation per boat may be high in the eyes of the government, but is lower than the losses fishermen will have to suffer.
He added that if the megaproject went ahead, the fishermen would have to venture further from the shore to get a decent catch, and this will increase their operating costs.
“It is often stated that this area does not have much seafood, especially shrimp. That is a story fabricated to strengthen the argument in support of the reclamation.
“It is slander,” said Farid, who is also a former Pulau Betong assemblyman.
He added that the Fisheries Department and the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority should collect data for three years to produce accurate results.
Currently, he said, the data on the number of fishermen from the two agencies is very different.
“When they cannot get basic data right, what about more complicated ones that involve the seabed? The two agencies that look after the welfare of fishermen still have time to correct their facts and data.”
Farid said he also believes the proceeds from the sale of Island A will not be enough to fund the Pan Island Link 1 (PIL1).
The construction of the PIL highway is part of a project under the Penang Transport Master Plan that will be implemented under phase one.
The 20km two-way highway is planned to be built with six lanes and connect Persiaran Gurney to Bayan Lepas with six intersections.
“The state government in the recent assembly sitting said there is a possibility that the state government is looking for other sources of funding.
“Obviously, to implement PIL1, the government does not rely on Island A. So, Island A is an island for developers,”' he said. – The Vibes, October 6, 2021
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